Yeah, it really is about the kids.

I was going to write something completely different here.  And I wasn't going to write anything tonight.  But today was a momentous occasion.  We have a graduated level of rewards for going to the potty, the highest level had been a Kinder Surprise.  Seemed like a good level, both chocolate and a silly little toy or game in a very large package.  Surely enough to get a little boy excited about making his next big step into adulthood. We failed in a couple of ways, though.  When Christine took the boys out east, she left the Kinder Surprises here.  So I brought some.  And we forgot them at Dad's place when we left. sigh So back at her family's place I took James out for us to pick a reward together.  We picked "That Guy" from Bulk Barn.  That guy being a plastic M&M candy dispenser (maybe? container for sure) with an M&M dressed up for Halloween in a wizard's cap and robe and carrying a propeller ... because ... wizards. I...

Last weekened was the Spencerville Fair .  I've been going to the fair since before the boys were born partly because I like fairs and partly because I have so many relatives that attend it I've never failed to run into at least a couple of them there. This turned out to be the first year that we've gone to the fair where I did not meet any relatives.  That's a real shame, because James was in a really talkative mood. So, last year it was just James and I and we arrived early so we'd have plenty of time before his afternoon nap (man, I miss afternoon naps)  but we left before the big Sunday event.  The demolition derby.  Since James has taken a hard line against afternoon naps over the summer, I figured this year would be the first year we could reasonably expect to attend. Christine stayed home with Daniel and I packed James up in the car and off we went.  I completely zoned out while we were driving down, James and I were talking the whole way, and ...

Being on vacation for August followed by one week home and a week of work travel (with the requisite fire-drill in the middle of it) kept me away from here longer than I intended.  So I've got a few stories I want to get down before I forget about them.  In fact, I know I've already forgotten one of the things I planned to write about.  Hope it comes back. So the big one was while we were on vacation.  I think it was the Wednesday before we hit the road for home.  It was kind of cool and threatening rain, though I don't think it ever did, and I'd been waiting for a day like that to justify spending the afternoon indoors.  Why?  Because this was the first day James and I were going to a movie together. He's seen plenty of movies already, usually on the portable DVD player or the computer or in the home theatre, but he's not been able to sit through a whole movie.  He's just too busy.  Christine told me, though, that she'd noticed him be...